The Basement
by cause.A.scene
Summary: As one agent fights for his life and another fights for control of his own mind, the rest of the crippled team must focus on solving the crime and stopping an impending attack on a Navy ship. *Not the best summary but anyway, no ships, just team love.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** Hello! It has been an awful long time since I posted anything so here we go. I actually started this during this past hiatus before Cote's decision was announced but usually I would have stuck with canon and went with Bishop. I have a feeling most of you won't mind Ziva being here ;)

**Warning: **No major warnings or spoilers. I will say up front that this story has a lot of stuff in it that I had to research (medical, mechanical, drugs...) because I know nothing about most of that. I'm sure anyone who does will find errors but my goal was to be believable, if nothing else. So hopefully none of it sounds too far-fetched and just know that I did enough research on questionable topics that the government probably has me pegged. I figured I needed to hurry up and post this to prove my innocence ;)**  
**

Also, there is no romance in this story. I don't do romance and ships, but I LOVE some good old fashioned focus on the team dynamic. So that's about it. I actually have the whole story written out so updates shouldn't be too far apart.

That's about it. So I hope you guys enjoy and if you have a moment, feed my addiction and leave a comment. Regardless, thank you either way and have a lovely day!

**The Basement - Chapter One**

* * *

Chaos.

That was his reality, whatever _reality _actually was. He could feel hands on him; he could feel pain and heard shouts. But they were all so far away. Where was he? _Who _was he? Those were the questions that ran circles around his mind, begging to be answered but never coming close enough to catch.

He suddenly found himself underwater, suspended in time as giant squid enveloped him in their tentacles, pushing their way through his ears and squirming around his brain. He could feel it. Every centimeter. He wanted to breathe clearly, wanted the squid to disappear and never come back.

He tried to open his eyes but blinding light flooded his brain and pushed the tentacles ever deeper, the pain of their intrusion amplifying tenfold. He tried to scream but felt them constrict around his throat until he could no longer breathe at all.

The squid were shouting now, screaming at him in some indistinguishable language. He wanted them to stop, wanted to be gone entirely. He wondered why he didn't just drown and even welcomed the idea whole-heartedly. Anything was better than this.

As the sea placed unbearable pressure on him and tossed him around like a helpless ship in a storm, a solitary thought – a moment of clarity – infiltrated the war that was raging in his scattered mind. Tony. His name was Tony and he was an NCIS agent. He tried desperately to hold onto that thought, knowing that it was a small light in the shadows that consumed him, but it was lost as quickly as it was gained. With one last attempt at a decent breath, the man named Tony willed himself to be done entirely and slipped away into the darkest depths of the ocean.

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs watched helplessly through the glass window as his Senior Field Agent fought against the swarm of medical personnel who were trying to help him. Gibbs had tried to offer his assistance as well but had ultimately been forced to leave the room before he had been able to do anything. A part of him believed he could calm Tony down while a more knowledgeable voice in his head assured him that Tony was currently beyond Gibbs' help.

He watched as DiNozzo's body continued to contract and pull against his restraints, seemingly engaging in battle with an enemy that did not exist. He felt his own stomach clench tighter when one of the younger agent's monitors began wailing, which sent the doctors into even more of a frenzy. At least he wasn't struggling so much anymore, Gibbs thought despairingly.

It was as though time stood still as the professionals eventually got their patient stabilized and the turmoil died down. Gibbs felt himself release the air that he hadn't realized he'd been holding and closed his exhausted eyes.

How had things gone so wrong?

He told himself not to think about it and instead focused on his agents. They needed him and they especially needed him to be strong. There were still more questions than answers but, for the time being, his team remained whole.

"He's still in surgery," a voice belonging to his one and only uninjured agent informed him solemnly. He turned to see Ziva standing behind him, her eyes laced with deep concern as they remained glued to her partner inside the room. He noticed that she, like Gibbs himself, was still wearing the dried blood of their wounded teammate on her clothing and even some in her hair. He would tell her about that later.

"How is Tony?"

Gibbs sighed and tried to decide how to answer that. Observing his sweaty, unconscious agent once again, he replied the only way he knew how: "He's alive."

"Small favors, yes?" she lamented, turning from the window and crossing her arms tightly around her. "Have you heard from Balboa?"

Gibbs shook his head and wondered if his place should be back at the crime scene, trying to find answers that could help Tony. "No sign of what they put in his system."

Ziva remained quiet for a moment and Gibbs assumed she, too, had nothing more to say. When it came down to it, he had one agent blatantly on the brink of death and the other doped up so high on some unknown drug that he wouldn't even know his ass from his head. He suddenly felt like breaking something; he had failed his agents, plain and simple. He had sent them into an ambush of psychopaths who clearly happened to know a little something about manufacturing drugs and the art of torture.

The worst part was, Gibbs really had no idea what his agents had gone through. He knew the outcome, but for almost an hour, they had seemingly been at the mercy of two madmen who, for some unknown reason, seemed to harbor a serious grudge against all things Navy. Frankly, Gibbs couldn't decide who got the worst end of the deal: McGee with three bullets in him or Tony who was reduced to a squirming, spastic heap of pain and muscle.

"At least those cowards will not hurt anyone else," Ziva breathed silently, her back facing Tony who was still firmly unconscious and being poked and prodded by his medical team.

Yes, Gibbs thought to himself, the scumbags were dead. He had killed one himself while Ziva had taken the other. But even that moment was little to celebrate given the sight that greeted them upon entering the building and killing the perps. Without a doubt, that moment would be added to a set of memories that would forever plague his darkest moments.

* * *

**ONE HOUR EARLIER**

Gibbs felt his stomach constrict painfully as they pulled up to the house belonging to one Andrew Jaffe and saw the government issued vehicle sitting in the driveway. It was an area known for terrible cell reception and an odd mixture of the wealthy elite and the lowest scum of the earth. He imagined it was due to the secluded nature of the highly separated homes and the feeling that you were, largely, alone with the rolling hills that surrounded. It was the perfect little town to disappear and relax or else escape the scrutiny of nosy eyes.

Needless to say, not hearing from Tony or Tim for an hour had unsettled him slightly but hadn't necessarily set off any major alarms. Still, the feeling in his gut had continued to grow as the time passed until he finally told Ziva to grab her things and off they went.

Andrew Jaffe hadn't even been a suspect, just someone who _may _have seen the murder of a petty officer from Iowa, so he had sent Tony and McGee to get a statement when all other leads ran cold. Now, as he looked at the decent looking home that was barely visible due to large trees and plants, he couldn't help but feel like he had made a very big mistake.

Ziva clearly felt the same way as she was already out of the vehicle, gun in hand. Gibbs followed suit and together, they made their way up to the front door but before they had a chance to knock or bust the damn thing down, a yell echoed through the air followed by a gunshot.

As adrenaline flooded his veins and sent him into a methodical fit of rage, Gibbs kicked open the door and they stormed the house, clearing each corner as quickly as possible. As they rounded a corner, a door towards the back of the house flew open and out popped a man yielding a gun, firing rapidly towards them. Gibbs dived behind the sofa and sent a few shots but it was Ziva who had looped through the kitchen and snuck up on the man, shooting him in the back of the head.

Gibbs had seen it coming and was already running towards the open door leading to what he assumed was the basement. About halfway down the staircase, more deafening gunshots echoed through the home and sent wood splinters flying from the steps just below his feet. Knowing he couldn't leave the basement now, he leapt over the handrail and landed down amongst some boxes. With Ziva now keeping the shooter's attention as she made her way down the stairs, Gibbs had the perfect opportunity edge around the staircase and sent two bullets into the perp's chest.

It was only when the man hit the ground that Gibbs realized Tony had been yelling the whole time, rocking the chair he was bound to as he fought desperately against his restraints. As Ziva ensured the gunman was disarmed and dead, Gibbs focused his attention on his youngest agent who, also tied to a chair, had dark red stains spreading on his once white shirt and pants leg. Gibbs counted at least three gunshots and hoped that was where it stopped.

"Ziva, call 911!" Gibbs demanded before glancing around the room long enough to find what he was looking for. He pointed to a countertop where a phone sat. "Land line, there!"

Ziva nodded and barreled toward the phone and completed her task. Gibbs, still hearing Tony yell incoherently, deemed McGee to be in most danger and quickly untied his restraints. Without warning, Tim lurched forward but Gibbs was able to catch him and lower him gently to the ground before applying pressure to the two wounds in his chest and stomach area.

"Ziva, tie off his leg!" he ordered when he realized she was off the phone. Ziva pulled off her jacket in one swift move and began creating a tourniquet out of it in an effort to slow the bleeding in Tim's leg. At the same time, Gibbs dug his hands harder onto the wounds, which effectively woke the younger agent up. He coughed and tried to breathe, though it was extremely labored.

"B-Boss," Tim choked out eventually, his eyes swimming as he tried to focus. "Tony."

Though Gibbs could barely hear it over the continued shouting from his SFA, Gibbs leaned down closer to McGee.

"Dr-drugged," he continued, followed by a coughing fit that left droplets of blood sprinkled around his mouth.

"Gibbs," he heard Ziva say in a dark voice, but he ignored her. He knew the situation was bad but nothing was final. Gibbs pressed his hands even harder when he felt them begin to slide around in the warm blood.

"Don't worry, Tim," Gibbs assured him as best he could. "You're going to be fine. You both will."

He was vaguely aware of Ziva now talking to Tony whose incoherent shouts had become fewer and fewer. As much as that alarmed him, he was also relieved; the situation was stressful enough without Tony's pained, mindless screams. Hopefully, the mellowing out meant DiNozzo was just calming down. When he glanced behind him to see what was going on, he realized Ziva was starting to untie him.

"Leave them on!" Gibbs ordered, hating his own words but knowing it was for the best until help arrived. They had no idea what was in DiNozzo's system and Gibbs knew all too well how a single substance could turn even the most mild-mannered man into a supercharged monster. When he looked back down at McGee, Gibbs felt his stomach do summersaults when he realized the younger man's eyes were closed. "Tim, hey Tim! Look at me."

He saw green eyes between slits moving slowly before they widened and found Gibbs again.

"You're going to be fine, you understand?" he said, his own hands and arms now feeling numb. "_Do you understand_?!"

Tim coughed again but nodded ever so slightly as his eyelids drooped. Gibbs wanted to pop the younger man's face but with both hands being used for very important tasks, he ended up just pressing harder.

"Dammit, McGee," he growled. "Stay awake! Ziva!"

Seconds later, she was by his side, awaiting further instruction. Somewhere in the background, he could hear voices and footsteps above them and also realized that Tony was now sobbing and repeating the words, "he's dead" and "they're dead" over and over again. And as much as he hated leaving the young man alone in his drug-addled state, if Tim didn't get help and fast, he was going to die.

"Put your hands on this one," Gibbs instructed before lifting his right hand and using it to reinforce the other wound. Now, with Ziva close enough to Tim's ear, she had quickly begun saying what Gibbs assumed was a prayer in Hebrew and offering soothing tones. Somewhere in his mind, Gibbs knew she was trying to offer some comfort to her friend in his moments of dying, but he refused to think that way and would head-slap Ziva into the next millennium if she had given up hope.

As McGee struggled to stay awake, Gibbs noticed that his eyes kept wandering over to Tony's wailing form.

"He'll be okay, Tim," Gibbs reassured, hoping that was a true statement. "You will be, too."

But, in the next moment, Tim's eyes finally closed and stayed that way just as the paramedics rushed in and took over. After a brief moment of shock as he watched the men work on Tim, Gibbs regained composure and rushed over to Tony. After having the man violently pull away from Gibbs' hand on his cheek, Gibbs decided that he wouldn't push physical contact.

Apart from the large quantities of sweat covering every visible inch of him, his senior field agent also seemed to have more strength than usual. He continued to jump and spin his chair around, trying to break free.

"Tony!" Gibbs yelled, but it only made DiNozzo struggle harder and scream louder.

"What's wrong with him!?" Ziva called, her eyes wide with worry.

Gibbs shook his head and realized that Tim was now being taken up the stairs on a stretcher. Deciding he should stay with Tony, they waited until two new medics rushed back down. After Gibbs explained that their new patient was a tortured NCIS agent, they immediately put a syringe into Tony's neck. Within seconds, DiNozzo's movements became less pronounced and his shouting died down, but it did not knock him out.

"That's as good as it's gonna get," one of the men yelled quickly. "Help me get him up."

Together they unbounded the agent and, with the four of them keeping his flailing limbs from causing any major damage, managed to get Tony into the second ambulance which quickly sped off.

After a millisecond of staring off at the ambulances disappearing into the hills, Gibbs was awoken by Ziva shouting his name.

As more and more police cars began pulling up, Gibbs briefly considered staying behind a little longer but ultimately decided against it; he would just call Vance and let him know what happened to the best of his knowledge. Without further hesitation, he joined Ziva in the car and they sped off after the ambulances, both trying to stomach everything they had just seen and praying to find better news when they arrived at the hospital.

* * *

**End Note: **That was that. Thank you for reading and hope you come back for more. Have a blessed day/night!


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **I want to start off by saying thank you to everyone who read and/or reviewed. The first day was pretty awesome because I work in a federal prison and can't have my phone so when I finally made it to my car and checked my messages, I had so many goodies from you guys. So thank you :) It was definitely a crazy start so I'm glad you guys are liking it so far. This chapter is kind of slower but felt necessary to me.**  
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**Warning: **Same as before... I did my best when it comes to the medical stuff. Also, it is unbeta'd so all mistakes are my own.

That's about it for now, I suppose. Hope you guys enjoy this one as well and if you have a moment, leave me a comment**.  
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**The Basement - Part II**

* * *

PRESENT

Waking up to the feeling of full-body compression was hardly desirable. Tony DiNozzo was positive that his body weighed a ton and he would likely never move again. Although, that may just be the dramatic musings of a dying man.

But _was_ he dying? He sure felt like it. He felt like he was on fire but was also buried in snow at the same time_. What an odd mixture_, he thought to himself. More than anything, he was exhausted. He considered trying to venture into the land of reality to figure out where he was and why he was there, but that seemed like too great of an effort.

Still, his mind was in a perpetual fog that he knew he needed to wade through. He could feel it in his gut; there was something important to be found out there.

Deciding that his duty to fulfill some unknown task was more vital than his laziness, he made a solid attempt to lift his arm. It barely moved at first but after a few more tries, he managed to lift it high enough to realize that he was restrained. Now, aided by the sudden surge of adrenaline, his eyes snapped open.

The light blinded him immediately as he squinted and tugged at his restraint even more. Despite the fact that his eyes really weren't getting completely used to the light, it no longer hurt to leave them open. Well, it was bearable, at least. He then realized that his other hand, though not necessarily restrained, was being firmly held against his body in some sort of sling.

It didn't take him long to realize he was in the hospital, even with the walls moving and the ceiling spinning. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to steady his surroundings but it was to no avail. Not until she appeared, that was.

"Hi there, Tony," Caitlin Todd smirked as she stood beside his bed, a deep red bullet hole positioned directly between her dark eyes. Suddenly, he could feel her warm blood splattered all over his face like it was yesterday. If that wasn't bad enough, she then proceeded to step aside to reveal his probie, Timothy McGee, standing behind her with the same exact wound, plus two more on his chest.

Tony felt his stomach churn painfully until bile burned his throat. Before he could register anything else, he felt the hands of faceless nurses rolling him onto his side as he hurled the contents of his stomach into a receptacle bin. He was vaguely aware of voices talking to him and hands clawing at him, but he paid them no mind; his eyes were on Tim and Kate as they were the only things that mattered.

"Looking pretty rough there, Tony," McGee laughed as a thin line of blood rolled onto his nose and dripped to the ground.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling as though he should be crying but no tears would come out. "I'm so sorry, Tim…. Kate."

Kate chuckled and sat down in a chair beside his bed. "Sorry doesn't bring anyone back, does it, Tony? You watched me die years ago and today, you watched McGee die. I'm not sure, DiNozzo, but I think you may be bad luck. Or maybe just incompetent."

Tears finally filled Tony's eyes as he looked at Tim whose gaze diverted to the ground. Tim was disappointed. And as a scene from earlier that day flashed through Tony's mind, he understood why. He had sat there and watched those men fill McGee with led and he did absolutely nothing. Not a thing. The fact that he had been tied up meant nothing to him because he still should have done something, anything, to stop the death of Timothy McGee.

"I didn't save you," he cried to Tim and Kate. "I couldn't…"

He turned away from them as the weight of the world fell firmly on his every fiber. He was in the hospital but he didn't want to be there. He wanted everyone to leave him alone and just let him die. It's not like he could ever face Gibbs, Ziva, Abby or Ducky or even Palmer again, and those were the only people left in this world that he cared to keep close. That he wanted to love him. How could they care about him now that he had lost the baby of the team? The innocent one… One of the only people he had ever met who was truly _good._

As a tear rolled down his cheek, the liquid cold against his steaming face, he tried to fall asleep but couldn't get the image of his dead friends out of his head. He knew they were still sitting there, staring at him as though they expected something from him. Anger and frustration began to invade his mind and body until he couldn't take it anymore. He was vaguely aware he was now yelling and then proceeded to fight his hardest against the restraints that were holding his arm and legs down.

He wanted to leave, he wanted to be gone. He kept his eyes clenched shut so as to avoid seeing Tim and Kate anymore and decided that if nothing else, he would eventually wear himself out.

But before that could happen, the faceless medical staff attacked and one needle prick later, his world faded to black.

* * *

Gibbs held the phone to his ear and felt his annoyance rise when the call made it to the third ring.

"_Jethro?"_ Ducky finally replied on the other end. "_I was actually just about to give you a ring. As it turns out, Petty Officer Malicks was…_"

"Duck," Gibbs interrupted as a sigh escaped from his lips. There was a pause on the other end and deep down, Gibbs knew Ducky was well aware that something was wrong.

"_Who?"_ Ducky replied finally, confirming Gibbs' beliefs. "_Please tell me there will be no funerals in our near future._"

Gibbs half smiled as he thought about the situation. "Not yet," he replied, as he watched the doctors through the glass preparing to move McGee. The young agent looked far from okay with his unnaturally pale skin accentuated by dark circles under his closed eyes. His hair was a mess and still had remnants of crusted blood in it while the majority of his body seemed to be wrapped up with slightly bloodied dressing. Then there were the multitudes of machinery hooked to the kid and half of his face was hidden by an oxygen mask. But, he was alive.

"It's a long story, Duck," Gibbs continued, prying his eyes off of Tim long enough to focus. "But Tony was drugged with something and McGee was shot three times, one in the leg and two in his chest and stomach."

He heard a gasp on the other end, followed by, "_Dear heavens…_"

"I know," Gibbs replied, shaking his head slightly at how awful it all sounded out loud. "But they've stabilized Tim enough to fly him to Bethesda. They said something about his lungs and apparently there's a surgeon there who can fix him up."

"_Yes, yes,_" Ducky said, his tone troubled. _"Dr. Wilcox, I believe. One of the top surgeons in the region, specializing in the pulmonary system. Now, are you sure young Timothy is fit for transport? I should really have a chat with…"_

"No time," Gibbs interjected, though he thoroughly wished the medical examiner had been there. "They need to move him now while he's stable enough and they don't have the kind of docs McGee needs on staff. It's a quick flight. But you're closer than I am so I was hoping you could meet him there."

"_Yes, of course, Jethro!"_ the man replied with vigor as though it was silly to think otherwise. _"And what of Anthony?"_

Gibbs sighed deeply once more and tried to recall what the doctors had said. "The docs don't know what they drugged him with, only that is was some sort of hallucinogen."

"_His symptoms?"_

"Hallucinations," Gibbs said simply as the image of Tony struggling and shouting played through his mind. But that was nothing compared to what he had witnessed only a few minutes before his conversation with Ducky.

"It was worse in the beginning. He was just yelling and fighting when we first found him," Gibbs recalled, his stomach clenching uncomfortably. "Fought so hard he pulled his arm out of place but it's not as bad now. He was… talking earlier but…"

"_But what?"_

"It sounded like he was talking to Kate and McGee," Gibbs resigned as he remembered trying to talk to Tony, to tell him that he was alright and was imagining it all, but Tony had never even registered his existence. Instead, he had eventually worn the most broken expression on his face before going into yet another fit.

"Seems to think they're _both _dead."

"_Oh my. That is bound to have chilling effects on the young lad," _Ducky voiced gravely. "_He will likely spend a great deal of his waking hours trying to distinguish fact from fiction and if he believes his young partner to be deceased…"_

"Yeah, I know. But it was like he couldn't even hear me when I was in there."

"_Yes, certain forms of hallucinogens can not only create vivid, life-like deliriums, they can alter the reality the patient is already seeing," _Ducky explained. _"What are his doctors saying in terms of treatment?"_

Gibbs ran his hand over his face and replied, "Just that the drug seems to be leaving his system on its own but they are going to keep him sedated for a while. He fights pretty hard while he's awake and it'll be better to transport him that way."

"_Is he also being taken to Bethesda?"_

"By ambulance," Gibbs replied before noticing more movement in McGee's room. "Gotta go, Duck. I'll meet you there."

"How is he?" Gibbs immediately asked as they rolled Tim's bed into the hallway.

"His vitals are holding steady," the tall female doctor responded tiredly as the nurses led the way through the hall. "The flight will only take a few minutes and Dr. Wilcox is awaiting his arrival. He has a good chance, Agent Gibbs."

He nodded and followed alongside McGee's bed, careful not to touch the young man in fear of messing something up. Tim looked so fragile and if it wasn't for the steady beeping from his heart monitor, the kid could be mistaken as dead.

"This is as far as you can go," Dr. Langley informed him before McGee was pushed through a set of double doors. Gibbs stood there and watched the bed and its entourage disappear through another door before turning and heading back towards Tony's room.

"How is McGee?" Ziva greeted from the end of Tony's bed. Her face was tense with concern as her eyes regularly flickered over to where DiNozzo lie.

"Being put in the chopper now," he replied as he stood beside Ziva and watched the nurse continue to prep his other agent for transport. It hadn't been necessary to move DiNozzo but for the sake of being treated by trusted individuals in a place that housed both of his agents, this was the best move. Besides, Tony was certainly stable enough to be moved so it simply made the most sense to have everyone together and close to the base.

"This is all so wrong," Ziva said after a moment of silence. "McGee bleeding to death, Tony out of his mind."

Gibbs knew there was a joke in there somewhere concerning Tony's normal lack of sanity, but now was not the time. Not until both of his agents were safe.

"I… his face as he was talking to the imaginary McGee," Ziva continued, her eyes firmly glued to Tony. "And Agent Todd. Sounded like he blames himself for McGee's supposed death."

"It's a good thing Tim's not dead then."

Ziva nodded but they didn't speak for another couple of minutes, both transfixed in their own minds. Eventually, Ziva broke her silent observation of the unconscious DiNozzo and looked down at her hands.

"I-I can't get the blood from under my fingernails," she said quietly and Gibbs wondered if she was really talking to him or to herself.

Either way, it was an unsettling statement and one that was also true for Gibbs.

"It'll come out," he replied simply, knowing that the blood symbolized a lot more than either of them could put into words.

"We're ready," one of the nurses informed them. Moments later, Gibbs and Ziva were following the bed carrying Tony into the ambulance bay where he was carefully loaded into a rig. Once Gibbs was satisfied that Tony was in good hands, he and Ziva went to the car and set off towards yet another hospital.

* * *

**End Note: **Like I said, this one was pretty simple but felt right to me. Hope you guys liked it and will come back for more. Happy Mother's Day to everyone :)


	3. Chapter 3

**AN:** First of all, I want to thank everyone who wrote a review or even if you're just keeping up with the story. It is greatly appreciated, especially the review, and makes writing worth it. Secondly, I'm terribly sorry this one has taken so long. I really don't have an excuse other than I got busy for a few days and then forgot. I work full time in a prison, go to school full time (online) and just had surgery. So I guess I have decent excuses but that's also why I wrote the whole story before I began posting.

**Warning:** That leads me to my major warning. I mentioned this before but this story has several elements that I had to do some serious research on (medical, toxicology and drugs, and mechanical stuff which you'll see later). While I did spend more time than I really had looking up random things, I KNOW there will be mistakes relating to any or all of the above mentioned aspects. Please know that if I couldn't be accurate, I at least wanted it to sound believable. Hopefully I accomplished that but if you know a thing or two about any of these and want to share where I messed up, feel free to. I probably won't change it unless it's fairly simple, but it'll give me a heads up in case I ever use a similar scenario. It'll also drive me crazy a little because I'm a perfectionist but such is life.

Otherwise, it is unbeta'd and... yeah. That's about it so I hope y'all enjoy!

**The Basement - Part III**

* * *

She had been called many things in her life but patient had never been one of them, and for very good reason. Therefore, the very name 'waiting room' warranted frustration. To make it even worse, being stuck in one while waiting on important information regarding people she deeply cared about made her feel a bit like a caged tiger.

When she and Gibbs had arrived at Bethesda, the doctors had taken Tony and informed them that they would be running their own tests so they needed the agents to stay out for a while. She hadn't been thoroughly pleased but, in the name of proper medical care, she had not put up a fight. Instead, they had gone to the surgical waiting room where they hoped to find Ducky. Also not true as the medical examiner was with McGee, wherever that was.

After an hour and a half of waiting and pacing, Ziva was about ready to explode. That was until she heard a loud gasp before being attacked by Abby.

"Oh my goodness, I just heard," she began quickly, her arms strong around Ziva's neck. "Well, I know they were hurt. I heard it from Tom in the administrative office who heard it from Jimmy. I'm not even going to ask _why _I didn't hear it from you guys but believe me, it is a discussion for another time."

She swiftly made her way to Gibbs and treated him with the same patented Abby hug. "Please tell me they're okay. I heard something about drugs… Are my babies drugged up? Did they say what they were drugged with?"

"Tony was drugged and all they know is that it was some sort of hallucinogen," Gibbs replied shortly. "McGee was shot."

Another, much louder gasp ensued. "Shot?! You mean like, bullets and blood?"

Her eyes turned to Ziva before widening, "Y-you have blood in your hair… And under your nails. Oh my God, it's bad."

Ziva watched as Abby's hands began shaking and it looked almost like she was going to start hyperventilating at any moment.

"Calm down before they put you in one of these rooms," Gibbs scolded lightly. "Sit down."

When Abby complied with his order, he bent over so they were face to face and said, "McGee and Tony will be okay, got it?"

Ziva watched as Abby nodded, her eyes watery but she seemed to be holding her composure surprisingly well. Ziva was honestly not one for tears herself, but she had to admit that the day's events had truly taken a toll on her.

She couldn't get the image they had found out of her head. Tony's shouting had been the first thing she'd heard and that had been unsettling enough. He wasn't _saying _anything for the most part, just yelling and trying to pull out of his restraints. Seeing him like that was devastating. She vividly remembered being tied up like that with him on more than occasion before and he had always remained so smooth and in control, even in the worst of situations. But the man she had seen in that house… that wasn't Tony. She knew the drugs did it and she imagined the things he saw while drugged were even worse. Regardless, she never wanted to see him so out of control like that again. Ever.

Then there was McGee. She felt her stomach turn uneasily when she thought back to that. There was so much blood… She remembered the first moment she had seen him, she was certain he was dead. Covered in blood, chin lying against his chest and so eerily still. But in the very next second, he was lying on the ground and talking. It hadn't been much, but it was definitely proof of life. She smiled when she remembered he had spent that precious energy to warn them about Tony.

She took him for granted, she thought sadly. Tony and McGee were both her partners, but it was no secret that she and Tony were usually paired up and shared a different kind of bond. But McGee… he was an invaluable agent and friend but he was also one of the only people she felt as though she could fully trust. He had been the most accepting towards her since the very beginning and she would never forget that. Still, it was easy to laugh at his little quirks or play along with Tony's teasing at times.

Either way, she loved both of those men and knew that they had become closer to her than her own family. Gibbs, too, of course.

She glanced over at the older man and saw him sitting next to Abby, whose head was resting lightly on his shoulder. Ziva had honestly expected Abby to be climbing the walls and verbally attacking anyone who happened to walk by in scrubs, but she wasn't. Instead, she looked tired and rather miserable. Ziva was vaguely aware of Abby questioning Gibbs about Tony as well, but she seemed to be satisfied that the surgical waiting room was the best place to be for now.

But as she was watching the forensic scientist, she saw Abby's head shoot up, followed by her body. Ziva followed her gaze and turned around to see Ducky approaching them. He looked tired, perhaps, but not like a man who bore the worst possible news.

"How is he, Duck?" Gibbs inquired before Ducky could reach them.

The older man sighed, then took a deep breath. "Timothy is alive and was remarkably fortunate. The ammunition was hollow point, which helped in some ways, but his swift medical care was most vital given the amount of blood loss. It is a blessing you reached him when you did."

Ziva shifted and thought back to the decision to go after Tony and McGee and how it

very easily could have ended differently.

"Now, each of the three wounds presented a different level of urgency," Ducky continued, his expression growing darker.

"Three?! He was shot three times?" Abby exclaimed, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Abby," Gibbs warned quietly as he took her under his arm and pulled her close.

"Yes, Abigail, there were three bullet entry wounds, but no exit wounds," Ducky informed. He then placed one of his hands on his chest, just below his right breastbone. "The wound to his chest, as you may imagine, wreaked the most havoc on the young lad. One rib was broken, another shattered. The worst part, however, was the collapsed lung, which they are working to mend and re-inflate now. The wound to his abdomen was actually the least worrisome, though it did damage a small section of his small intestine."

Ziva closed her eyes as Ducky continued to inform them of McGee's various ailments and suddenly felt sick. She supposed she should be thankful he was alive, especially after seeing her friend covered in that much blood, but she still couldn't help but cringe with Ducky's every word.

"His leg wound, though not exactly life-threatening alone, is proving to be most difficult. You see, the bullet has lodged itself dangerously close to his femoral artery. This means they will have to be very careful when they remove it."

There was a moment of silence as they all seemed to be processing this information. Personally, Ziva wasn't having the easiest go at it. She was used to people being injured, of course, but never McGee and it was rare for any of them to be this seriously wounded.

"So what does it all mean?" Abby asked through sniffles. "Is he going to be okay? When can we see him? And what about Tony? You still need to check on him."

"One calamity at a time, Abigail," Ducky replied quietly. "To answer your questions, I cannot guarantee no major complications will arise but, so far, I believe Timothy has a very good chance at not only surviving, but will also be able to make a full recovery and return to work, should he choose to do so. That being said, he has a very long way to go before any of that can take place. He still has at least another half hour left in this surgical session…"

"_This _surgical station?" Ziva repeated, her eyes darting between Gibbs and Ducky. "There will be more?"

"I'm afraid so," the medical examiner sighed, "It is not ideal to keep a patient under for too long, especially after such a traumatic event. The leg surgery will also be performed by another surgeon who is more suited for it. As such, the surgeons will manage the most immediate danger and then leave the rest for at least one other session, which will likely take place later today or tomorrow. They will, of course, keep a very close watch on him and will be prepared to take him back into surgery should a complication arise."

"And that's the best option?" Gibbs asked, his brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed slightly. Ziva knew Gibbs had a very limited knowledge of the medical world, but even she had to admit the idea of McGee having two major surgeries did not make her feel very comfortable.

"It is a tough line to walk, Jethro," Ducky replied bleakly, "but yes, it is currently the best option."

Gibbs nodded and if he was satisfied, then so was Ziva.

"To answer your final question concerning Anthony, it is my intention to find out exactly what his undoubtedly competent doctors have concluded," Ducky continued as he tiredly pinched the bridge of his nose. "It wouldn't hurt to have at least one person remain up here, just in case."

Ziva looked at the others, trying to visually determine who would stay and who would go. Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to see both of her partners but because McGee had at least another hour before that could happen, she knew being with Tony offered the greatest chance of being close to one of them.

That being said, she wasn't sure who she was more worried about. Tim was in terrible physical shape; there was no doubt about that. But Tony… he was literally out of his mind and… _lost_. Ziva knew the effects drugs could have on the body and had seen it many times before. But not on Tony. It was like she was looking at a completely different person every time she looked at him. On the other hand, she was terrified of staying with McGee because she knew there was a chance one of his doctors would walk out and tell her they did all they could to save him but it just wasn't enough.

"I'll stay," Gibbs held. "But the moment you know something about DiNozzo…"

"Of course, Jethro," Dr. Mallard replied knowingly before adding, "Same goes for you and Timothy."

Gibbs nodded gravely and before they had another exchange, Ducky, Abby and Ziva were all making their way back down to where Tony was being kept. Ziva, being the only one of the group who knew where Tony's room was, led them there without any hesitation.

The first thing Ziva noticed upon arrival was the doctor standing over Tony. She could not see her partner's face but could see that he still had restraints on his wrist, which made her heart drop. It had already been a few hours… Surely he should be getting better.

"Is he… _tied up?_" Abby questioned darkly, her eyes searching Ziva and Ducky. Ziva chose to look away but thankfully, Dr. Mallard answered as calmly as ever.

"It is common procedure to restrain a patient who is presenting with the ability to harm themselves or others," he informed her, though Ziva could tell he was trying to keep it as impersonal as possible. "As you know, the effects of hallucinogens can be severe in the first several hours."

Ziva took a deep breath as she listened, using his words to comfort her as well. After another moment like this, Ziva realized that the doctor inside the room now knew they were there.

"Dr. Mallard," the female doctor greeted excitedly as she left Tony's room and entered the hallway. Ducky, also happy to see the woman smiled and accepted her hug. "How have you been?"

Ducky sighed as he pulled away from her. "I have certainly seen better days, my dear, and so has Agent DiNozzo in there."

The woman's eyes widened with realization before glancing at both Abby and Ziva.

"This is Abigail Sciuto, forensic specialist for NCIS and this is Special Agent Ziva David," Ducky introduced before gesturing back at the young doctor. "And this is Dr. Olivia Mosley, a former student of mine."

Ziva nodded pleasantly but her stomach was tightening with each passing moment. She glanced back through the glass and could now see Tony's face but was sickened to see how tense he looked. She just wanted Tony back. She wanted to see that goofy smile of his and hear his bad jokes. She wanted desperately to replace the awful last memories of both Tony and McGee with better, normal ones.

"Anthony is a dear friend, Olivia," Ducky continued, "So I was hoping to be read into his case."

Dr. Mosley nodded quickly and took a deep breath. "Of course! I'm so sorry! I should have made the NCIS connection sooner. Anyway, Agent DiNozzo is experiencing the effects of a hallucinogen, but it is not one that has been identified. We have been consulting a toxicologist, however, so we have a pretty good idea of what we're working with."

Ziva took a deep breath and felt Abby inch closer to her as though she was expecting to hear bad news.

"After looking at his blood work, it appears as though the drug is a variation of a common hallucinogen, as opposed to a whole new type or an undocumented mushroom."

"Meaning it was most likely tampered with," Abby interjected quickly, her signature Abby look now returning. The doctor nodded in confirmation. This certainly wasn't Ziva's area of expertise but she knew this information supported the idea that her partners' captors had been scientists to some degree or other.

"We believe so because it is very similar to LSD, the major difference being that it appears to break down a little quicker in the system," the doctor explained. "This is a good thing, of course. So instead of the usual twelve hours, we may only be looking at a six to ten hour window."

"Ten hours?!" Ziva said quickly. "You mean he will be hallucinating and restrained for that long?"

The doctor's eyes widened and she shook her head. "Most likely, no. The effects will begin to fade. In fact, they already have. He is far less volatile and irritable than he was upon arrival. We hope to remove the restraints soon, but perhaps keep him sedated."

Ziva sighed and closed her eyes. None of this was right. None of it.

"I see," Ducky breathed somewhat sadly. "And what are his physical symptoms?"

"Increased blood pressure and heart rate," she stated simply, "The usual for such cases. But we have him on Benzodiazepines, which are helping. Our main concern, of course, is his addled mental state. He is, without a doubt, experiencing bad trips."

Ziva shifted uncomfortably as the woman spoke, hating the fact that the doctor was talking about her partner as though he were a drug addict.

"Yes, well I'm sure watching your friend get shot right before your eyes may be good reason for _bad trips,_" she retorted, though she knew the woman did not deserve the attitude.

Dr. Mosley gulped hard and nodded quickly, "Yes. I mean no, I don't imagine that would create the best of circumstances. I'm sorry, by the way, for your loss."

Ziva's arms wrapped around her tighter as she felt her body turn to ice. She knew Gibbs would have called them had something changed, especially if McGee was dead, but hearing this woman express her condolences was enough to make Ziva lose grasp of logic.

"Loss?!" Abby responded quickly. "What do you mean by loss?!"

The woman's face morphed into what seemed like panic until her eyes found Ducky. Ziva turned to the medical examiner and saw that he, too, looked slightly confused.

"We just came from upstairs," he said slowly, emphasizing every word, "And Timothy was still in surgery. Have you heard something new in that short time?"

"What?" she replied, shaking her head and looking highly disheveled. "Timothy… Oh. I am _so_ sorry. Agent DiNozzo keeps mentioning someone named Tim and it certainly sounds like he believes his partner to be deceased. I know another agent was involved so I just assumed… Although I am _very_ glad to hear that he is still alive."

Yes, that would make sense, Ziva thought desperately. She was aware that Tony had been mumbling about McGee and even Caitlin Todd during his waking hours.

Just then, Ziva's phone vibrated which made her jump slightly. She felt her heart race when she realized it was from Gibbs.

_I need you and Abby. News on the case, _the text message read. Ziva was surprised by his method of contact given that Gibbs usually preferred phone calls, but she assumed it was due to hospital rules.

Ziva sighed and looked through the glass at her partner. The last thing she wanted to do was leave him when he could really use some familiar faces, but at the same time, if Gibbs was forcing them back into the case after everything that had transpired, it was for a good reason.

"Abby," Ziva said quietly before the doctor could speak again. "Gibbs needs us. Apparently there have been developments on the case."

Abby frowned and replied, "What? But we just got here. Nobody has been with Tony…"

"I will remain down here unless I am needed," Ducky spoke up, calming Ziva's nerves. Truth be told, the medical examiner was probably the best person to be with Tony in his current state of mind. Ziva nodded and gave Abby an understanding look.

"If it's any consolation, we aren't allowing visitors just yet," Dr. Mosley piped up somewhat sheepishly. "Dr. Mallard, you are certainly welcome to go in, however, as I assume you also function as Agent DiNozzo's doctor."

Ziva could tell Dr. Mosley was trying to make sure someone was allowed to go in and be with Tony, even though it was true that Ducky usually treated them. Regardless, Ziva found herself beginning to like this doctor a little more.

"Thank you, my dear girl."

With one last look at her partner and friend through the glass window, Ziva lightly grabbed Abby's shoulder and led her in the direction of the elevator.

* * *

**EN: **So there you go. Part three. Kind of a transition chapter which was true for me too. I didn't really expect this story to go beyond three or four chapters but then it just did its own thing. This is basically the part where my fingers randomly decided this was going from a simple character piece to a character/case story. Anyway, I hope you guys liked it and it was worth the wait. Leave me a review if you have a moment but either way, thanks for reading and I shall [hopefully] see you next chapter. Be blessed!


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Hello, hello! Here comes the next one. I actually really like this one for some reason so hopefully y'all do as well. Regardless, thank you so much for reading and an extra thank you for the reviews. They definitely make it worth while.

**Warning: **Same as before :) Mostly just forgive me if anything is exactly accurate. I researched but ultimately decided to just go for believability if nothing else. That's about it. No curse words or anything. Enjoy, guys!

**The Basement - Part IV**

* * *

Gibbs stood by the window overlooking the world outside of the hospital walls, his mind racing as his eyes skimmed over the streets below. It was amazing how life continued with ease when his world was spinning out of control.

"I thought Balboa's team was taking lead on the case," Ziva demanded as she and Abby entered, effectively pulling Gibbs from his silent reverie. He could tell she was a bit more peeved than she was letting on and, in all fairness, he understood why. But things had changed.

"Tony?"

She looked at him as though she were about to protest his change in subject, but she merely sighed and answered, "Nothing new, really. They still don't know exactly what it is but they said it looks like LSD, only it leaves the body quicker."

Gibbs frowned as he tried to determine how this new information could fit into the quickly evolving case, but decided he needed more to make any conclusions.

"Abby, Balboa's team is bringing back evidence, including what they believe to be the substance Tony was drugged with," Gibbs said quickly, his mind already trying to find the best way to solve the case. "I need you to comb through all of it."

"But Gibbs, those samples need to be brought here so the doctors can make sure they're treating Tony properly," Abby refuted, no doubt wanting to remain at the hospital.

"Samples will be brought here as well," Gibbs replied simply, letting her know that he acknowledged her concern. "But it's more than just the drug. I need you to comb through that evidence for anything that may help us."

"Gibbs," Ziva began as her frowned deepened. "What has changed?"

Gibbs took a deep breath as he thought back on his phone call with Vance. "Looks like DiNozzo and McGee stumbled into something bigger than a couple of stoners. Balboa's team found evidence of large quantities of that drug being made and they also believe there is at least one other person involved. Couple that with Internet activity concerning basic procedures and systems aboard Naval ships and we may be looking at an attack."

Silence filled the air as he watched the two women grapple with their desire to remain close to friends versus their dedication to protecting and serving.

"What kind of basic procedures?" Ziva asked finally, evidently giving in to her duties as a federal agent.

"Irrigation and plumbing, dining procedures, laundry…"

"Wait," Abby interrupted, her hands up in the air as her fingers wiggled slightly. "Do you think these guys were trying to manufacture a drug that could be easily spread on a wide scale on a Navy ship?"

"No," Gibbs sighed, "I think they _did _manufacture a drug that could do that."

"But why?" Ziva asked suddenly, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Can you imagine a floating tube filled with raging, drugged out men and women who also happen to be trained killers?" Abby answered easily, her eyes wide with concern. But Ziva shook her head quickly.

"No, no, no," she continued, "I mean, why would these guys do it? Wouldn't it be easier to just blow the ship up? They were evidently scientists, right? Why go through all the trouble to tweak an existing drug that will, at worst, cause relatively few casualties. I mean, I know how bad Tony got but there's no way they could simultaneously drug everyone on that ship. Besides, the drug, as far as we know, is not lethal. Why would anyone go through all of that trouble?"

She was right. Sure, unaltered LSD alone could cause some pretty major damage and could even be lethal in higher doses, but it wasn't an obvious choice to bring down a Navy ship. Furthermore, as long as a majority of the people on board were untouched, they would likely be able to handle those who were infected. All of this led him to believe that the motive could be only one thing: cause as much damage as possible, but not necessarily physically.

"Reputation," Gibbs answered somberly, his growing fears beginning to make more and more sense. "You blow up a ship, and it'll only bring our Navy closer and make our nation more supportive. Have the majority of the crew high as kites on LSD and killing each other, and then you have a completely different reaction."

"Oh my gosh, Gibbs," Abby interjected loudly, "You're so right! Besides, it wouldn't be too hard to alter LSD, but the question is why would they ease the effects? I mean, Tony's doctor said this version doesn't last as long..."

Gibbs nodded but took a steadying breath. "That's why they're bringing you the samples, Abs. We already know who made it, now we need to know who's going to try to carry out the attack and why this drug? There are three ships in the Navy Yard alone that are supposed to set sail in the next week. And that's only if they are ready to attack now, and _if _it's at Norfolk."

"It could be anyone, at any port and at any time," Ziva added, her arms tightening around her.

"That's why we're all hands on deck," Gibbs added, though he knew all too well they were missing the hands of two key players. "DiNozzo and McGee may be our best leads, but neither can offer much assistance right now so we need to try to get this handled ourselves. Balboa has point but we will help in any way we can. Vance is also talking to the FBI as this may become a man hunt."

Gibbs certainly didn't want them to think he had given up on either of his injured agents, but solving this case was now a priority. Having to choose between duty and family was one of the hardest positions anyone in law enforcement could be in, but it was usually clear what should be done.

"Someone will be near the hospital at all times and I've already set up a protection duty for DiNozzo and McGee, just in case the third person doubles back," Gibbs continued, answering their question before either of them had the chance to ask it. He gave them a minute to process and when they both nodded, he continued.

"Abby, I want you to go through every bit of the evidence with an emphasis on possible DNA from the partner, any signs of how they may plan to distribute the drug and anything else that comes up. Work your magic," he ordered, to which Abby nodded quickly. "Ziva, share everything we have on the case. I know Balboa's agents will be looking for all the right things, but help them out. We need motive for our two dead guys and any connections between them and our original vic."

"On it," she said simply, getting ready to walk away.

"Hold it," Gibbs said before she could get very far. He sighed and knew the proper thing would most likely be to let them leave, but the case aside, he couldn't do that. He thought back to his encounter with one of McGee nurse's just before the others arrived. "Tim's out of his first surgery. They said we could see him for just a minute."

"It's something," Ziva replied quietly with a smile. Gibbs could see a hint of relief mixed in with various other emotions. But more than anything, he saw a fire of determination burning in her eyes. Abby, on the other hand, wore a soft expression; one that was somewhere between sadness and fear. Gibbs knew her kind heart often had a hard time seeing those she cared about in pain, let alone McGee who had never really been seriously injured.

Still, he followed the nurse's instructions back to McGee's room after he allowed for the mandated twenty minutes to go by. Gibbs knew the room was only temporary and that Tim would soon be moved to a more permanent room until he was able to leave the hospital. But until then, the ICU wing would have to suffice.

The dim lighting was the first thing he noticed upon entering the small space. Then came the steady beeping and the whirring of the oxygen mask. Gibbs was aware that Abby had gone straight to McGee's side whereas Ziva had lingered closer to the doorway. He glanced at his agent before realizing that she was simply scoping out her surroundings before going in. It was in her nature.

Gibbs slowly made his way to the bedside and let out a deep sigh. In all honesty, there were no obvious signs of McGee's wounds as gauze and sheets covered them but he certainly didn't look well. Tim, though naturally pale, rivaled the color of his stark white sheets, which only served to make the dark circles around his eyes stand out even more. The mask hid most of his face while the rest of his features remained eerily lifeless.

The slow rising and falling of his chest was the most comforting feature of the sight before him, but it was hard to remain focused on that when the kid was also hooked up to about every machine Gibbs could think of, and then some.

"This is awful, Gibbs," he heard Abby whisper and knew tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"He's going to be fine, Abs," he replied as he lightly placed his hand on her shoulder, secretly praying his statement would remain true.

Gibbs glanced at Ziva and realized that she was now holding McGee's IV-less hand while observing him closely, her face stony. Gibbs knew her well enough to know she was fighting her emotions, even more so now that she knew her duties as a federal agent were needed. She cared, of that he had no doubt, she simply couldn't focus her attention on that just yet.

Gibbs heard a noise and looked at the door to see a nurse enter the room. She gave him a look that spoke volumes.

"Time to go," he announced softly. The girls each said their own little goodbye before slowly making their way out of the room. Gibbs, on the other hand, hung back for a moment.

He gently reached out and placed his hand on top of McGee's head in what had to be the gentlest head-slap ever performed, and then leaned down to whisper in his agent's ear.

"We need ya, Tim," he breathed quietly.

Satisfied that his point was made, Gibbs gently ruffled the young agent's still bloodied hair, took in one last look and then made his way out of the hospital room.

"Nobody comes in without a badge," Gibbs ordered the officer stationed outside McGee's door, though he knew the officer was well aware of his duties. Gibbs then took a deep breath before making his way downstairs to next place he was needed.

* * *

Tony woke with a start, his heart pounding away at his chest. He could feel beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and felt the hospital bed sheets stick to him whenever he moved. He was in pain, he was confused and he just felt disgusting.

Of course, knowing he also got his partner and best friend killed did not exactly help the situation either. Tony clenched his eyes shut and tried to get a handle on his thoughts. He was lucid enough to know that his senses were beginning to come back to him and slowly – ever so slowly – his whole body was being returned to his control. However, he was also lucid enough to know that his body and mind were not entirely his own.

Parts of the day came back to him in quick flashes, though he still wasn't sure what was real and what wasn't. People had been telling him he was hallucinating and was drugged up, but everything seemed so real. And even though he hoped beyond hope that he had imagined Tim's death, he knew it wasn't so. He _watched _his friend die, he _felt _the death. Watched blood explode from Tim's head in a technicolor display of shades of red. Just like Kate.

That memory was the one that returned to him most often in both his waking moments and his restless bouts of sleep.

Tony honestly just wanted to disappear. He wished he had been on the receiving end of that gun, not McGee. McGee was too smart, too talented of an agent to be gone. Besides, he was younger and a fast learner. Tony was good, yeah, but Tim still had so much time and room to grow. He could've been the most desired of agents.

"Are you going to acknowledge me, or not?"

Tony nearly jumped out of his bed but was immediately subdued by the sharp pain in his shoulder. He instinctively reached up to hold it with his good arm and realized that his restraint had been removed.

"Boss," he replied weakly. He tried to look the man in his eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. This was the first time he would face Gibbs since the incident and it may very well be the last.

"How you feeling?"

Tony frowned, wondering why his boss was being so nice to him. He didn't deserve it.

"Fine," Tony lied before turning his head away.

"Tony, look at me.."

But Tony did not obey those orders. How could he?

"You need to snap out of it, DiNozzo," Gibbs said finally after minutes of silence passed. Surprisingly, his words were soft. "We have a case to solve and you and Tim are our best bet."

Tony nearly snapped his head towards Gibbs and felt tears sting his eyes. The walls behind the elder agent swam back and forth, causing Tony to feel even more nauseous, but Gibbs had mentioned McGee. _The _conversation was about to happen.

"I'm sorry, boss," the words poured out of Tony's mouth like vomit. "I'm so sorry."

Gibbs frowned and almost seemed to be scared for a split second. "Pull yourself together," he said quickly, his arm now holding onto Tony's. "I need your help…"

"Tim…" Tony interrupted. He appreciated Gibbs attempt to ease Tony's guilt but it wasn't working. They couldn't ignore the fact that McGee was gone. As Tony watched Gibbs' contorted face swim in and out of focus, he forced his voice to be strong. "I couldn't save him, boss. I'm sorry."

Without further warning, Gibbs lifted his hand and struck Tony's head. It was not the hardest Gibbs slap he'd ever had, but it certainly left an impression. Once Tony regained his ability to see somewhat straight, he realized that there was now concern etched in Gibbs' face, which served to confuse Tony further.

"McGee is_ not_ dead," he said, emphasizing every word. "If I have to tell you one more time, I'll head slap you into next month."

Tony bit his lip and felt his lungs contract. He heard what his boss was saying and while it gave him some hope, he knew deep down that this was yet another hallucination.

"Boss, I saw…"

"I know what you _think_ you saw, but you didn't see it," Gibbs interrupted, now leaning close to Tony's face. "Tim _was _shot but he isn't dead. I was just with him."

"But," Tony began, trying to understand what was being said despite the fact that the room was now spinning around him and colors were being thrown and splashing like blood drops all around him.

"No buts, DiNozzo," Gibbs said loudly, his sudden outburst causing the world to stop its incessant rotations. "I don't know exactly what happened in there but I do know you are high on LSD, McGee was shot and now we are looking at a possible attack. You two are the only ones who infiltrated their little group so I need to know what you know. McGee isn't ready yet but you can be."

Tony considered all of this for a brief moment as the sound of his fiercely beating heart threatened to drown out everything else. Could he believe this? He certainly knew the head slap was real and apart from the dancing walls, Gibbs seemed to be real as well. Still, he couldn't quite shake the feeling that his friend was gone.

"Listen, Tony," Gibbs said softer now, his face offering an expression Tony was unfamiliar with. "I know you're scared and confused. You have been through more than anyone deserves. But I swear what I'm saying is true. Ducky said McGee will most likely make a full recovery and so will you. But the people who did this to you had at least one other person working with them. We need to find them. For you, for McGee and for this country."

Tony took a shaky breath in as he forced his mind to focus on every word Gibbs said. Out of all of his most recent memories, this is the only one that felt completely true. He still new it could be very real, very heinous trip, but his desire to feel hope once again ultimately won out.

"I wanna see him," Tony mumbled, feeling utterly exhausted in every single way.

"I'm working on that, DiNozzo," Gibbs replied and despite the voice in his head telling him otherwise, Tony believed it whole-heartedly. "Now, are you ready to help me or not?"

Tony squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before slowly nodding. He wasn't sure how much help his scrambled brain would be, but even if McGee was dead, he owed it to his partner to help finish this case. And if McGee was, in fact, still alive, then Tony would be damned if he didn't do everything in his power to keep the younger man safe this time around.

* * *

**EN:** Thank you for reading! Hope y'all enjoyed and review if you can. Until next time :)


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Hello, friends! Dropping off the new chapter and hoping everyone is well. Thank you for reading and a huge thank you to the reviewers. You guys make it worth it and make me want to continue writing. Same warnings and notes as usual.

**The Basement - Part V**

* * *

Ziva stared at the computer screen before her, trying desperately to maintain focus despite the fact that her mind desired nothing more than to think about her injured friends. She knew focusing on the case was, essentially, in the best interest of Tony and McGee, but it still didn't feel right.

Ziva sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to fight off the impending migraine. Since when did she let her emotions get in the way of her job, especially when the risks were as high as they were now? They had fairly solid reason to believe an attack was going to happen on a Navy ship… Injured coworkers or not, her mind needed only to be on the case.

Of course, as much as she cursed her team for becoming so important to her that she could no longer compartmentalize every single aspect of her existence, she couldn't imagine her life without them. And when it came right down to it, that was her current problem; She was being forced to imagine a world without her partners, McGee especially. She still couldn't shake the image of him bleeding and coughing up a gentle red mist. She still vividly felt that moment when she accepted that he was about to die right before her eyes.

"Agent David."

Ziva jumped and instinctively reached her hand down to her hip for a gun that was not there. Director Vance saw the movement and eyed her suspiciously. She tried to smile and brush it off, but she honestly didn't have the energy or desire to put much effort into it.

"You okay, there?"

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "Of course, Director. As I'm sure you know, we have identified both suspects from today's events. Andrew Jaffe, assistant professor in the chemical engineering department at the local university and Wayne Blakely, a local thug, for lack of better term."

Vance nodded and replied, "Balboa is searching the latter's apartment now. Have you found a connection between the two of them or to the original dead sailor?"

"Not exactly," she sighed, "but I did find out that the fathers of both Jaffe and Blakely were killed in the line of duty. They were Marines."

Vance nodded, "I see. So it's sounding like motive."

"Now we just need _everything else.._."

Ziva lightly laid her head in her hand as the gravity of the situation weighed down on her. Knowing that it could be perceived as weakness, however, she immediately sat back up to find the director staring at her.

"Agent David," he said after a moment of silence. "Take a look around."

Ziva frowned but followed his orders, letting her eyes skim her surroundings.

"Do you know what I see?" he asked as his eyes also scanned the room sadly. "I see a lot of empty desks."

Ziva diverted her eyes for a moment at the mention of the harsh reality she had been trying to avoid.

"You've been through a lot today, Ziva," he continued when her eyes met his once again. "You've seen two of your partners in very bad shape and you are now having to represent them on your own. No one would blame you if you needed to step away for a bit but, please understand, your strength does not go unnoticed."

Ziva nodded and looked away once again. Vance had become a huge part of the atmosphere around the office and even somewhat of a confidant for Ziva. She appreciated his ability to walk that very thin line between strength and political correctness.

"Gibbs just called," he continued, forcing Ziva's head to pop up. She had been fighting the urge to call Gibbs for an update so the fact that he had not called her first was slightly upsetting.

"And?"

"And he's working with Agent DiNozzo," Vance continued simply. "Seems to be slow going and, given his current state, it's hard to work through the details but it's something."

"And McGee?"

The director sighed and answered, "Dr. Mallard has been with him. Sounds like they may have to push the next surgery up sooner than they had hoped."

Ziva closed her eyes and sighed deeply. She knew that meant McGee's condition was getting worse. That, or the doctors noticed something new. Either way, she wasn't thrilled about this piece of information but at the same time, she was looking forward to all of the surgeries being over. The sooner they were done, the sooner McGee could focus on healing.

"Well, I will leave you to it," the director said, pulling her from her thoughts. "Keep me updated."

Ziva bit her lip and nodded. A deep breath later, she began looking at her computer once again. She wasn't inept when it came to the device, but she also wasn't McGee.

If she could just find the connection between Petty Officer Jonathan Malicks and the other two dead guys...

Then it hit her. It seemed like she had read that Malicks' mother was Navy but died from some sort of pathogen during a mission. Her heart racing, she quickly pulled up Malicks' family history and sure enough, Ziva had remembered correctly. It didn't mean a whole lot just yet, but three dead victims/suspects, each with one dead Navy parent… There had to be something to it.

* * *

"Why aren't you with McGee?" DiNozzo asked Ducky in a voice that reminded Gibbs of a suspicious child. He knew where the agent was going with the question and it made his stomach clench even tighter. They were making progress, yes, but Tony was still not functioning properly and he often stopped to ask about McGee to which they always replied truthfully.

"He's in surgery, Anthony," Ducky replied as calm as ever. "They are going back in to remove the final bullet and repair the damage. If all goes well, he will be well on his way to recovery."

Gibbs watched as Tony took in the information with slightly clouded eyes before looking away. The man wasn't convinced and Gibbs didn't blame him. He had talked with the nursing staff and tried to get a short fieldtrip to the ICU approved but they had ultimately said no. Their main concern was McGee, of course, and given DiNozzo's unpredictable mental and emotional state, he could be triggered into another fit and potentially harm McGee unintentionally. Gibbs understood completely and only had the best interest of his agents in mind; still, he had almost talked the nurse into letting Tony look at McGee through the glass but then Tim had been rushed back into the operating room.

Although it was all true, Gibbs imagined Tony thought they might be lying to him while they attempted to get the needed information. Regardless, DiNozzo was clearly trying his best.

"I know your memories must be fairly confusing," Ducky continued as he sat close to Tony's bed, "but we need to try to extract any useful information that might be in there, okay?"

Tony shook his head and replied, "Yeah. No, I get it. There's an attack and you need answers. I get it."

Gibbs shifted his weight from one foot to another as he watched Tony squirm in the bed. He hated seeing his agents like this but, in all fairness, he was used to blood and gore. This? Watching his senior field agent struggle to form coherent thoughts was never something he had really prepared himself for.

"Yes, Anthony. We are worried there may be a large-scale attack. So why don't we start from the beginning?"

Tony writhed again but eventually nodded.

"You entered the home and questioned the subjects…"

Tony nodded and clenched his eyes shut. "We didn't ask much. There… there was only one guy at first. He was shifty but seemed okay. We really only got to introduce ourselves and brought up the victim…"

"And then what?" Gibbs asked from the doorway, which rewarded him a look from Ducky.

"Then there was another guy who suddenly had his gun to Tim's head. He…" Tony stopped and rubbed his eyes real hard with his newly freed hand. "He had orange, fiery hair."

Gibbs frowned at the odd description as both of their deceased captors had black hair. Still, he let DiNozzo continue.

"We never even saw him."

This point seemed to upset Tony who then began absentmindedly scratching his head all over.

"It's okay," Gibbs said quickly. "We didn't know they were involved with the crime."

"What's the next thing you remember?" Ducky urged when Tony didn't continue right away.

"The basement," DiNozzo recalled with a pained frown. "Tied up and… Tim was there. They kept asking."

"Asking about what?" Gibbs questioned quickly as he stepped further into the room. "What did they want to know?"

"About the case."

"Anything specific, Anthony?" Ducky added as the conversation began to speed up. But they were losing Tony. Gibbs figured that would happen the closer they got to the drugging and the shooting.

"No… I mean, maybe," he stammered with his hand firmly pressed against his eyes once again. "There… he…"

"It's okay, Tony," Ducky interrupted before sending a glance back to Gibbs. Yes, it was clear to him as well that this couldn't continue much longer. Not like this.

"Just one more question, DiNozzo," Gibbs requested as he came to rest before Tony's face. "You up for one more?"

"Of course, Boss," he answered easily. "Whatever you need."

"Okay, do you remember how they drugged you?" he questioned, his eyes looking right into Tony's slightly dazed ones. "Was it a needle, or gas…?"

"Water."

"Water?" Ducky sounded confused.

"Said they wanted to test it and would shoot McGee if I didn't drink," he answered quietly. "They shot him anyway."

Gibbs closed his eyes and sighed after seeing the immense pain in his agent's eyes. The more he listened to and saw DiNozzo and McGee, the more he wanted to bring the two men back from the dead just to shoot them again.

"That… that's all I got, Boss. Unless you want to hear about floating chairs and giant squid," he continued with a forced laugh and diverted eyes as though he were deeply ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Gibbs spoke quickly. "You may have just given us a lead. You did great, Tony."

Gibbs lightly clapped his agent's shoulder before turning away and pulling out his phone. Abby needed to know this new detail as it implied the attack would also be administered through liquid. In the background, Gibbs heard Ducky reassuring Tony and telling him to get some rest.

"Someone will be checking on you and Tim periodically," Ducky finished before joining Gibbs in the hallway.

Once Gibbs was done updating Abby on the new details as well as the condition of Tim and Tony, Gibbs closed his phone and stared at Ducky who clearly wanted to talk. Within a moment, Ducky had joined him in the hallway.

"I know this isn't the best situation but the sooner Tony physically sees Timothy, the better."

"I know, Duck. I'm trying but they made some good points about DiNozzo not being able to handle it yet. And judging by what I saw in there, they may be right. He's better but that still isn't Tony."

"Yes, that is quite true," Ducky replied dejectedly. "I just can't imagine what the poor lad is going through. He is clearly blaming himself for a memory he is certain he witnessed. It's similar to emerging from a very vivid dream; it takes you a while to realize it wasn't real but even then, you feel its effects sometimes for the remainder of the day. Little things can immediately snap you back to that dream. And in Tony's case, I do not believe he will be able to return to himself until he is convinced Timothy is still alive."

Gibbs sighed. Never in his life would he have imagined a scenario such as this. Still, it was better than one or both of them being dead.

"He'll be okay, Duck."

Ducky sighed but nodded his head in agreement.

"I do hope so, Jethro," Ducky said before looking down at his watch. "Ah, I imagine Timothy's surgery should be nearing its completion. I will stay with Anthony for a while longer and then head upstairs."

Gibbs nodded and replied, "I'm going to head to the Yard but I'll be back."

Gibbs needed to check in with Ziva and Abby but he was also hopeful that Tony would be more lucid and McGee would be communicating by the time he returned.

"Keep me updated," Gibbs demanded as he finally made his way out of the hospital for the first time in nearly six hours.

* * *

EN: There you are! A little with the case, a little concerning our beloved team. I hope you enjoyed and feel compelled enough to leave me a review. Also hope you return for the next one. Have a blessed evening/day/morning!


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